Heat in the Dark
by shadowjack12345
Summary: A night with Beast Boy and Raven, the next in my little series, following directly from 'A Friend Indeed'. This one... gets pretty explicit. Despite what I have said previously, I appear to be hurtling toward lemon-y territory. Meh...
1. Chapter 1

**Heat In the Dark**

**Disclaimer: all things and stuff belong to DC**

**Here's the next little installment in my BBRae series. Not exactly a lemon... I think. Definitely filthy, though.**

**This story follows on from 'A Friend Indeed'. If you want to start the series from the beginning, read my story, 'Beast Outta the Bag'.**

The past month had been apparently uneventful for the Titans. Relatively few alerts and only small-time criminals at that. The five friends relaxed, trained and guarded Jump City as a team. For two of them, however, the month had been far more productive. Raven and Beast Boy were progressing ahead of Raven's schedule for physical intimacy, though they hadn't yet been... well, intimate. After appearing before Beast Boy wearing t-shirt and shorts, Raven had, step by step, revealed more of herself to her green boyfriend. Literally. Now, Raven lay in her bed with Beast Boy, both of them only in their underwear. She was surrounded by Beast Boy's near-tangible lust and simultaneously amazed he was able to seem so calm and in control while experiencing such feelings. Eventually, the adrenaline wore off and the couple dozed off in each other's arms. Raven awoke in the middle of the night, finding herself facing away from Beast Boy, her back against his chest. Through the haze of sleep, she revelled in the feel of her skin touching his... but then it became clear why she had awoken.

Nocturnal penile tumescence. She had researched it. Most men knew it as 'morning wood', though she knew it actually happened between three and five times a night during REM (rapid eye movement) sleep. The research hadn't remotely prepared her for the feeling of it nestling between her buttocks. It was too dark to tell but the girl knew she was bright red and she stiffened (no pun intended) immediately, at a loss for what to do next. Then she wondered why she had to do anything... this was her bed, in her room, with her boyfriend. She wasn't going anywhere. With a lingering heat in her stomach, Raven closed her eyes, relaxed, and snuggled closer to Beast Boy. The small movement elicited a low moan from the shape shifter and Raven's eyes snapped open again, wide awake now. Breathing a little heavily, she experimentally shifted her hips again... another, louder moan came from Beast Boy's lips. With no clear idea of what she was doing or why she was doing it, Raven continued her subtle gyrations, pressing her backside into Beast Boy's pelvis. The green man remained asleep but his breathing became more ragged and his moans came with every outward breath. After a minute, Beast Boy tensed and Raven, sensing this, halted as well. Then, after he relaxed again, she noted that his... appendage started to relax a little as well. But then she felt something else. Something warm and... wet. She shot out of bed and switched on her bedside lamp, forcing herself to look at Beast Boy's boxers... there was the tell-tale dark patch. Raven was gripped by an unfamiliar sense of panic as she tried to think of a way out of the situation, before realising there was only one. Her head fell into her hands and she could feel the heat of her own blush.

"Oh, Azar..." she muttered, looking back up and walking, quietly around to Beast Boy's side of the bed. She shook him gently by the shoulder - even in these circumstances she thrilled a little at the feel of his skin. Eventually, he began to stir, opening one eye to look at Raven.

"Rae? What's goin' on? What time is-" He stopped abruptly as his open eye travelled down Raven's body, still clad only in black underwear. The grin was unstoppable, if he even wanted to. Raven shook her head at him, pinching the bridge of her nose.

"Focus, Garfield. You have... an emergency." At her use of the word 'emergency', both of Beast Boy's eyes snapped open and he jumped to his feet. Raven's eyes were fixed on the offending wet patch, her lip curled somewhere between a laugh and a wince. Beast Boy finally looked down and then sharply looked back at Raven, eyes even wider and the blood draining from his face.

"Oh, christ... I thought I was just dreaming. I'm sorry, Rae... I'd better go uh... clean up." Beast Boy trudged, morosely to the door, humiliated. Raven couldn't let him blame himself completely.

"I think," she started, pausing to order her thoughts. "I think we might have just got a little too... close in our sleep," she finished. Beast Boy looked curious for a second, then a second wave of mortification hit him.

"You mean I... ? You were...? You need to clean up too, huh?" he asked. Raven nodded, timidly. Beast Boy clapped his hand over his eyes then drew it down the length of his face, his pallour replaced by an incandescent blush. Raven suspected she could make things worse but her curiosity overwhelmed her.

"You were dreaming about... that?" she mumbled. Beast Boy detected an almost unnoticeable trace of worry in her tone, so chose his answer carefully.

"I was dreaming about _us,_Rae. If we got too close... maybe that set me off, I dunno. But yeah, it got pretty piratey in there." Beast Boy's words confused her...

"Piratey?" she asked. The green man nodded, a little of his famous mischief appearing in his eyes.

"Rated Arrrrrrrr!" he said, winking at her as well. Despite herself, Raven giggled at the joke, terrible thought it was. The tension lessened, she waved him away and turned to walk to her bathroom.

"Just go wash up, _Cap'n_," she said, delighting Beast Boy. Before she made the door, he cleared his throat...

"Should I stay in my room after or... should I come back here?" he asked, quietly. She thought about it: it was probably unwise to test their limits any further tonight. But she _wanted_ him here...

"Here, Garfield. I'll be waiting." The smile on his face was brighter than her lamp and he disappeared into the dark corridor, heading toward his own room. Raven stepped into her own bathroom and, though there was really only one "spot" to take care of, she decided to step into her shower for a few minutes. To her utter astonishment, the quick wash very nearly became something else entirely as her hands moved over her own flesh - clearly the night's atmosphere had gotten to her as well. She stopped herself, turned off the water and stepped out, towelling herself dry but leaving her hair damp: the dryer would make too much noise and she could use her powers anyway. Putting her underwear in her laundry hamper, Raven moved across her room to dig out some more conventional sleepwear. She was halfway there when there was light tap on her door.

"Rae? Can I come in yet?" It was Beast Boy, stood at her door and she stood, staring at the flat grey surface, naked and shivering, though it wasn't cold. She would never quite work out why she did what she did next. Without moving, she spoke.

"Come in, Garfield." When the sound of him tapping the keys on her door reached her, reality hit like a punch from Starfire. He was coming in and she was naked. Beast Boy was about to open the door and see her naked. Had she mentioned she was naked? The panic reappeared: this was too much. Too far. She reached out for the first garment that came to hand. The door opened...

Raven stood, at the foot of her bed, draped in her blue cloak with her hood concealing her face in darkness. Beast Boy looked at her quizzically. Her cloak? It looked even stranger with her bare feet poking out from beneath it. He moved toward her, now able to see the tension in her small frame. Without thinking, he reached out and gently lowered her hood.

"Are you alright, Rae?" he whispered. She looked almost surprised. Her eyes wide, mouth hanging slightly open. "Rae?" he asked again.

"Um..." Raven spluttered. Her mouth continued to work but no sound issued forth. Beast Boy began to take in her appearance: cloak, no shoes, damp hair and... no collar. He swallowed, thickly, and spoke again with a tremor in his voice.

"Rae...what are you wearing under there?" he asked. If possible, Raven's eyes got even wider.

"Uh..." she stammered, still unable to string together a sentence. That was all the confirmation Beast Boy needed. He squeezed his eyes shut, gritting his teeth... this was _tough_. How many guys had to promise to resist their girlfriends when they did something this _irresistible_?!

"F..._ FUCK!_" he whispered, sharply. That knocked Rae out of her stupor: Beast Boy wasn't completely opposed to swearing but it wasn't something he did often, especially in front of her. "I'll turn around, Rae," he continued. "You grab some PJs and dress in your bathroom." He turned his body back to face the door. A pale arm lanced out from the blue cloak and grabbed his wrist.

"Can you see in the dark, Garfield?" Raven asked. Wondering where this came from, Beast Boy answered all the same.

"I can see in low-light conditions but not in total darkness. Unless I shift to a bat and use sonar or something." Raven nodded to herself.

"I think I want to try something but it might be going too far... I can create total darkness if I want and... um... I..." Raven's sentence crumbled away. Beast Boy's eyes bore into her own.

"Raven. Do it," he said, a tone of command in his voice. Without missing a beat, Raven whispered a few forgotten incantations and the room went black. They could still hear, smell and touch but their sight was useless for the time being. Beast Boy's ears twitched at the subtle 'click' of the clasp on Raven's cloak... then the rush of the material falling to the floor. His heart raced and he breathed heavily through his nose. He stopped breathing altogether when he felt her hands on his... she guided him to her waist and then she slid his hands slowly down her hips. There was nothing there, no waistband or fabric or anything. Just the feel of her almost unnaturally smooth skin beneath his fingers. He growled deep in his throat for a few seconds.

"Garfield..." she whispered. He guessed her intent correctly and he guided her hands now to his own waist, then slid down to his boxers. Together, they slowly slipped them down (Beast Boy pausing to move them past an 'obstruction' in the front) and they fell to the floor around his feet. Raven took the lead again and, gripping his elbows, moved his hands around to her back. He dared not move them too much on his own, not without Raven showing him exactly where he was permitted to touch. She then put her hands under his arms, leaning her head onto his shoulder. It was almost unbearable for him: this was the most aroused he had ever been and Raven was in his arms, completely naked... and he couldn't see her. Staying still was taking more and more effort. Raven was similarly aroused but, for her, it was more difficult to keep going, pushing her already tested limits. After a few more seconds of stillness and heavy breathing, Raven moved closer and wrapped her arms around Beast Boy, pressing her skin against his. He growled again, a long and drawn out sound. Her head still rested on his shoulder and her hands ran up and down his spine. His mind swam at the feeling of her breasts on his chest and the heat of his arousal pressed against her bare stomach. He felt her head lift from his shoulder and one of her hands sought his face. She turned him towards her and kissed him, his left hand moving from her back to her hair. The kiss was rough and urgent, for both of them. They pulled each other as close as possible but still Garfield resisted the urge to wander... until Raven (perhaps unwisely) grabbed his right hand and planted it on her left breast, whispering that it was okay through the kiss.

They stumbled a little and Beast Boy's leg ended up between Raven's. He felt something furry, warm and wet on his leg and the kiss became even more desperate. Though a part of her was mortified, Raven moved herself against Beast Boy's leg, a powerful sensation building in her loins. Her motion was good for Beast Boy as well, her now slightly slick and sweaty skin sliding over his own sex. They had no idea how long they stood there, clumsily stimulating each other but, after a time, Raven's body shuddered and her knees shook. She inadvertently let Beast Boy hold her up but his own knees were trembling too: the sound that she had made when reaching her climax, a cross between a sigh and whimper, had been quiet but right in his ear - and had tipped him over the edge with her. He exploded between them, barely managing to keep his feet. After a few seconds, he was no longer worried he would fall and Raven seemed to have her feet under her again. They just held each other in the blackness, out of breath.

Then came the moment where their minds cleared enough for the reality of what they just did to set in. Raven's spell would continue until cancelled so they were still blind, but they could both feel the warm but rapidly cooling stickiness on their stomachs. They also (finally) noticed the sound of Raven's furniture shaking. Time to stop. Reluctantly releasing Raven, Beast Boy fumbled around until he found his boxers, quickly pulling them on before finding the door by touch.

"Rae, I'm at the door. Turn up the lights and... I think I should go back to my room. For now." That had not been what Raven expected to hear from him. She lifted the darkness and saw Beast Boy, clad now in his boxers, facing the door. She knew it was sensible but she was hoping for a little... afterglow? She looked down at herself...

"I need another shower," she said to herself. Beast Boy groaned again, drawing her attention.

"Rae! Don't make me picture you in the shower or I'll lose it all over again!" he whimpered. Raven almost giggled at that. Perhaps not thinking clearly, she walked over to him and placed a gentle kiss on his right shoulder.

"Sorry, Garfield," she murmured. Even now, his name in her voice caused a buzz in his chest. "Goodnight... I love you, Garfield." He smiled before replying.

"Rae... are you still naked?"

"Um... maybe?" He groaned again, louder and longer and started punching the keypad. Raven quickly moved away from the door, just in case someone was out there. Just before he left, heroically keeping his gaze pointed away from the nude Raven, Beast Boy spoke again.

"Love you too, Rae. I gotta say... all this wandering around naked? I hope it becomes a habit." he said. She swore she could hear his eyebrows waggling.

"...We'll see, Garfield." At that, he groaned again and finally left, still glancing down at himself in mild disgust. Speaking of disgust, Raven stepped back into her shower but took a good five minutes before she was able to touch... _that_. Needless to say, both of them slept a little later than usual.

**Well... that got pretty messy. If I'm honest, I really only had the part about Raven changing her mind and putting on the cloak at the last minute planned out in my head. That bit in the dark? No idea where THAT came from. Still, I think it works in illustrating how little experience either of them have and that they're making these discoveries together, though at a necessarily slow pace set by Raven. There will only be one more chapter for this little story, maybe two, but it should wrap things up nicely. I hope. Let me know what you think, the tone of this is VERY different from Beast Outta the Bag.**

**-Dirty, dirty Jack**


	2. Chapter 2

**Heat In the Dark 2**

**I've got some basic, blurry outlines in my head but I'm not sure where I'm gong with this... so I apologise now in case it gets weird :p**

**Disclaimer: yada yada yada**

Raven sat at her desk in her room, tapping away at her laptop. After last night's... indulgences, Beast Boy had been dismayed but understanding when Raven had asked for a little alone time after breakfast this morning. Truthfully, she had no need of extra meditation but instead wanted time to order her thoughts. Things between her and Beast Boy had moved further and faster than she had dared to hope and now... she felt they were close to their goal. So, as she sat idly browsing, Raven decided to do some preparatory research. She learned very quickly to mute the sound. Ten minutes later and Raven stared at her laptop, head tipped to the left and resting on her left palm with her fingers covering her left eye. Her right was wide, her eyebrows raised in incredulity. She had found a collection of videos online and, despite several very large misgivings, had clicked on one. The couple onscreen were very... imaginative. And passionate. And bendy. Raven couldn't tear her gaze away, her emotions showing great interest.

Timid, of course, had hidden inside her hood and refused to emerge, trying to block the images from her mind. Rude found this reaction hilarious and so encouraged Raven to keep watching. Knowledge simply saw it as new information and was eager to learn, no matter the subject. Wisdom saw it as a valuable tool yet reminded Raven it wouldn't be completely true to life. Happy blushed and giggled like a naughty child. Brave, seeing Timid's reaction, immediately and predictably adopted an extreme opposite opinion.

"This shouldn't faze us. We're Raven, we can take anything!" Happy giggled louder at the unintentional double entendre. "We should find more videos, pictures, turn up the sound, strip off and make our own videos! We should-" Wisdom stepped in, interrupting Brave before she could attempt to convince Raven to embrace a career in pornography. Rage found an animal appeal in the images and kept silent. Love was surprisingly apathetic. Despite their enthusiasm, she could sense no love in the act. Of course, these were 'actors', paid to engage in such things for entertainment. Raven mutely clicked the next video. This one featured a real couple and Love immediately felt the difference, biting her lip and blushing while hugging herself. The loudest, of course, was Lust, a relatively new emotion, only really manifesting as a separate personality after Raven had gotten involved with Beast Boy. She took in every single detail, every position, every moan, whimper and scream. She wanted to try every single thing she saw and this curiosity, tempered by Wisdom and Timid, translated to Raven. So far, though there had been a few positions, the couple in the video had been fairly conventional... then the man withdrew, changed his condom and squirted a glob of something into his hand. He smeared a little of the substance on himself and then his hand stretched toward his partner. Raven thought his aim seemed a little off...

"Isn't that the wrong hole?" Raven muttered to herself shakily. Her eye widened even more when he removed his finger and inserted himself into the same 'wrong' hole. Lust compelled her to keep watching, studying the woman's face. She had winced at first but she seemed to be enjoying herself now. Raven is Raven, so she decided to further research the matter. Pausing the video, she searched for women's' opinions on... that. It seemed to be truthful, saying it would hurt at first and women describing how much they liked or hated it. So the only real answer was that she would only know if she tried it. Lust chose that moment to conjure up an image of the couple in the video but transformed into Raven and Beast Boy. Real-world-Raven stood quickly, knocking over her desk chair. She began to pace, face in her hands.

"What am I thinking? We haven't even done it the normal way yet and I'm thinking about... _that_!? I need to keep Lust under control..." Still, Raven found herself drawn back to her laptop. She decided to finish watching the couple: when they finished, the man had climaxed on his partner's face. Raven knew it was for show and doubted it was pleasurable, remembering the feel of it on her stomach with a glowing blush... but somewhere in Raven's psyche, a glimmer of demonic nature revelled in the taboo acts Raven had observed. She would have to watch that too.

Raven continued her research, Knowledge taking notes on her interest as she explored different niches, preferences and fetishes. BDSM? Rage, Brave and Lust all liked that one but Raven decided it was _far_ too early if it ever happened at all. Foot fetish? Ew. Raven avoided any scatological material. Again: Ew. Exhibitionism/Voyeurism? Hmmm... Raven had no interest in wandering around nude where people cold see her... but her relationship with Beast Boy had involved a lot of 'look, don't touch' moments. She had learned to like the feeling of his eyes on her, though she had chickened out last night. She remembered what he had said afterward, claiming he hoped she developed the habit of wandering around naked. She pictured herself doing only what she was doing now: sitting at her desk, fiddling with her laptop. Then she imagined herself naked... and imagined Beast Boy standing behind her, staring...

"Oooooo..." she murmured. She _liked_ that idea. Lust liked it too. Raven almost felt the emotion whispering in her ear:

"Maybe... we should practice a little?" Raven's eyes half-closed and her cheeks reddened. Despite already making sure before starting her research, she glanced at the locked door and drawn curtains. Then she kicked off her shoes, standing with bare feet in the center of her room. Breathing through her mouth now and unable to hear over her own heartbeat, Raven gripped the hem of her shirt and started to lift it...

*KNOCK KNOCK KNOCK*

Raven flinched at the sound and then looked down at her hands, almost like she's been splashed with cold water. She hastily pulled her shirt back down and moved to answer the door. On the other side was a typically jubilant Starfire. Before Raven had even greeted her, the alien swooped into her room and hovered just in front of her bed.

"Friend Raven! I have come to inform you that friend Beast Boy is moping like a kicked canine in your absence. I hope you are not having difficulties..." Raven marvelled at Starfire's ability to say something like that with a smile on her face.

"No, it's nothing like that, Star. I just need some me time this morning." Starfire nodded and tilted her head in curiosity.

"For what purpose did you need... the... alone time?" Starfire's gaze had landed on Raven's laptop. The empath paled even more than usual.

"Um, Star? This isn't-"

"How joyous! You have embraced the nudism!" Starfire gushed, happy that Raven had acquired a new 'hobby'.

"No... Star, wait. I wasn't... What are you do-PHLGMP!" Raven's face was now hidden by Starfire's discarded skirt. When Raven removed the item, she saw her friend already stripped down to her underwear and reaching around to unhook her bra. "STARFIRE, STOP!" The alien girl froze.

"You do not wish me to join you in your new pursuit, Raven?" she asked, innocently. Raven hurriedly closed her door and explained her 'research' to Starfire. Even though Raven left out some of her more embarrassing thoughts, she was blushing to her hairline when she finished. Starfire sat next to Raven on her bed, still in her underwear. Raven knew that Tamaranians tended to have a much more relaxed view on nudity. In fact, all of the Titans had seen the alien princess in all her glory at one time or another. She had learned of human modesty, though she didn't fully understand it, being confused, for example, by the difference in people's reactions to bikinis and underwear, despite there being little difference (in her opinion) between them.

"I was just... exploring options, Star." Raven ended. Starfire's smile had become decidedly mischievous.

"So while you are not becoming a nudist, you are thinking of allowing friend Beast Boy see you like that?" Starfire nodded toward the laptop, the screen still showing an image of a young woman, nonchalantly cooking while completely nude.

"Hmmm. I don't think he'd appreciate it if I started grilling bacon in front of him. But... maybe. Yes." Starfire giggled.

"Friend Raven! You are becoming decidedly scandalous!" Raven only smirked.

"Says the girl who just tried to throw a naked party in my bedroom." Starfire giggled again and scooped up her clothes before opening the door and flying down the corridor, still partially undressed. Raven heard Beast Boy's voice drift down the corridor and quickly shut down her laptop.

"Whoa, Star! Polka dots, huh? They suit you." Beast Boy appeared in Raven's doorway. "And I thought I was the only one who got to play with you in their underpants," he quipped, waggling those eyebrows. Raven shook her head but smiled.

"Long story. what's up?"

"Well, I thought if you were finished with your me-time, it might be time for some B-time," Beast Boy said, indicating himself. Then, with a flourish, he presented a steaming cup of tea. "... and tea-time." Raven felt her smile widen and nodded.

"I'd like that, Garfield."

_Buzz._

**You see that? I described porn without using any naughty words. Awww yeah! For anyone who doesn't get that '**_**Buzz'**_** at the end, you should read the main story, Beast Outta the Bag. Got some ideas for this one but I think I might keep some back for unrelated one-shots or something. I'll work it out. Peace, dudes!**

**-Jack**

**P.S. There seems to be come confusion about a word I used in this chapter, so here's Jack's spelling lesson of the day!**

'Faze' and 'phase' are homophones, words that have the same pronunciation but different meanings and spelling. An easy mistake to make, considering how many meanings 'phase' can have.

Faze:  
to disconcert; worry; disturb

Phase:  
1. A distinct stage of development: "The American occupation of Japan fell into three successive phases".  
2. A temporary manner, attitude, or pattern of behavior: just a passing phase.  
3. An aspect; a part: every phase of the operation.  
4. Astronomy One of the cyclically recurring apparent forms of the moon or a planet.  
5. Physics  
a. A particular stage in a periodic process or phenomenon.  
b. The fraction of a complete cycle elapsed as measured from a specified reference point and often expressed as an angle.  
6. Chemistry  
a. Any of the forms or states, solid, liquid, gas, or plasma, in which matter can exist, depending on temperature and pressure.  
b. A discrete homogeneous part of a material system that is mechanically separable from the rest, as is ice from water.  
7. Biology A characteristic form, appearance, or stage of development that occurs in a cycle or that distinguishes some individuals of a group

**Hope that clears up any potential misconceptions. Laters.**

**-Jack the Grammar Bastard**


	3. Chapter 3

**Heat In the Dark 3**

**Disclaimer blah blah**

**As evidenced in the last chapter, Beast Boy and Raven are at least able to look each other in the eye after the rather more intense first chapter. What will happen next?**

Beast Boy sat on the couch, focused on two things: the controller in his hand and the TV screen in front of him. Cyborg sat by his side, equally focused. This particular game was co-operative so there was no taunting or trash-talking, especially at this crucial stage... the final battle. The two onscreen avatars battled their infernal enemy with expert timing and perfect teamwork that would have impressed even Nightwing. Their enemy fell and the two young heroes exhaled and sat back to bask in the glorious happy ending. Without looking away, the two friends bumped fists in victory. They hade done it all before, of course but the satisfaction never wore off. As the credits began to roll, conversation started.

"So B," Cyborg began. "How come you're wasting time with me instead of your girlfriend?" The jibe was light and friendly and Beast Boy barely reacted, only answering the question honestly.

"She's out. She took Star and went shopping for something, she wouldn't say what. I used up all my lives, too." Cyborg looked quizzically at Beast Boy's reply.

"Lives? I don't get it..." Cyborg said. Beast Boy chuckled, slightly embarrassed.

"I'm... not so great at subtlety. So when Raven is just teasing me or honestly doesn't want to tell me something... well, we came up with the lives. I'm allowed to ask the same question three times and if she still hasn't answered, then she won't and I have to give up. It works for me, I guess." Beast Boy let loose a self-deprecating laugh, which Cyborg accompanied with his own warm chuckle. The pair descended into a comfortable silence, staring at the credits but not really paying attention. Cyborg's human eye flicked toward his friend a few times, considering something. After reaching a decision, he opened his mouth to speak again.

"I called Sarah last night," he said simply. Beast Boy arched an eyebrow at his friend but made an effort to seem nonchalant.

"Sarah Simms? Your Sarah?" he asked. Cyborg nodded mutely. Beast Boy waited for him to speak. It took a long moment.

"My Sarah... I stopped thinking of her like that years ago. That's what I told myself anyway." He paused again. Beast Boy spoke up.

"You never said why you split up in the first place. I figured you'd spill when you wanted to but..."

"I never wanted to... We split because... because I couldn't offer her much." Beast Boy frowned and started to speak. "It's okay man... What I meant is that I couldn't see a future. Never mind family, I couldn't even feel it when I held her hand. But now..."

"What did she say?" Beast Boy asked, eyes wide. For a second he was worried when Cyborg's face stayed stonily neutral. Then a wide grin slowly appeared.

"She told me upfront that there had been someone else since then... but he's gone now. She didn't seem to wanna talk about it so it wasn't on good terms, I bet. She's... she's meeting me for coffee tonight." Cyborg's smile had only widened and become more excited. Beast Boy had learned of his 'self-improvement' project. With that and the bracelet from Raven that allowed him to feel... well he knew Cyborg wasn't only thinking of holding hands if he and Sarah were together again. He hoped it was easier for them than it was turning out to be for him and Raven. There was one more question raised by Cyborg's earlier comment, however...

"You've though about a family, Cy?" Beast Boy asked, hoping it wasn't too sore a subject. Cyborg's satisfied smirk allayed his concerns.

"Yeah, sort of. It was obvious early on that it wasn't an option for me after... all this. Or so I thought..." he teased. Beast Boy's curiosity was piqued and he waited for Cyborg to continue. "I had a eureka moment when I got the bracelet and I started thinking about all this stuff again. Sex cells essentially have half my DNA, right? The chromosome pairs split up and each sperm gets one set of chromosomes, so they con combine with the chromosomes in the female egg and..." At this point, Cyborg saw Beast Boy's eyes glazing over and sighed. "I think I can use the DNA in what cells I have left to artificially grow a sperm cell. So, in theory, I could be a father one day. If I decide to." Beast Boy raised his hand for a high five, which Cyborg gratefully accepted.

"Dude!" Beast Boy started. "You're a freakin' genius! I bet this could help other people, too!" Cyborg nodded shyly.

"Yeah, I've been talking to STAR Labs, they've always got the best tech. This method could work a lot better for some people than current fertility treatments or IVF. Wait and see, I guess."

"Man... I hope you've made room for your Nobel Prize!" Beast Boy laughed, then he moved to shut down the gamestation, the credits having finished. The silence returned as he worked, broken again by Cyborg.

"Have you thought about that sort of thing, BB?" At Cyborg's question, Beast Boy snapped upright, surprise on his face. He looked at Cyborg... then out the window... then back at Cyborg.

"Well...no. Not really. Not yet. Raven and I-"

"I _don't_ want to know, man!" Cyborg interrupted. "The thing is, BB... you and Raven are, individually, very unusual beings. A half-demon girl and a boy who alters his DNA with a thought? You're both unique and, medically speaking, very... complex. The two of you together multiplies that complexity. I'm not saying you need to think about family life or whatever but, if you like... I can maybe run some tests."

"... I'll need to speak to Rae about it but... I think that's a good idea, Cy." The metallic hero nodded in agreement.

"Okay. I should tell you now that there's a good chance I won't be able to do this work alone. I might need to involve STAR Labs, maybe a gynaecologist for Raven... maybe Doctor Mid-Nite from the JSA - he has more experience than anyone with metahuman medicine."

"Sure, Cy... that makes sense." Cyborg left the room, still muttering to himself about tests and doctors. Beast Boy stood still, staring at nothing. His relationship with Raven has been necessarily slow. They had each proclaimed their love for the other and were getting closer and closer to consummating it. He knew, deep in his heart that he wanted no-one but Raven... so why hadn't he envisaged their future? Even now he struggled to see it. Someone like Nightwing could conceivably retire from superheroism: just take off the mask and don't put it back on. But the rest of the team... well take him. Retire as Beast Boy? He _was_ Beast Boy (though he was considering a name change as he got older). Green skin and the powers... he would never be normal, even if he wanted to be. Raven _was_ Raven. Cyborg _was_ Cyborg. Starfire _was _Starfire. He couldn't even see himself doing any other job. With two superhero parents, was it even possible to raise a family? He supposed the tower might be one of the safest places a child, or anyone, could be. His head was hurting now, feeling the wight of the ideas it held. He realised that, even if he had never used the word, he did indeed want to marry Raven... some day. And the idea didn't frighten him. That was how he _knew_ it was what he wanted. He wasn't sure how Raven felt about marriage, at least in the traditional sense. Maybe he could find out about Azerathi customs from somewhere, there might be hints on what he could do. He shook his head and smirked at himself. There was no rush...

"Calm down, Garfield. Fools rush in... and get smushed by startled Ravens." His ruminations were interrupted by the alarm. The monitor flickered on to show Raven's face. Cyborg ran in to the room, closely followed by Nightwing,

"Raven," Nightwing asked, in full leader mode. "What's your status." Raven seemed more... inconvenienced than anything.

"Believe it or not, Starfire and I have somehow got into a fight with a giant robot. When did our lives become a cartoon?" Beast Boy stifled a laugh and, after some more information was exchanged, set off in the T-Car with the others to join Raven and Starfire. He still attempted to picture a life with Raven. His smile never left his face for the entire journey.

**Okay then, there we go. I wanted to shine a light on Cyborg's personal life, seeing as I turned it upside-down in 'A Friend In Need'. Thoughts about what he might do sparked this idea about Beast Boy and Raven planning or least imagining their future. They've already committed to each other but now I want them to really think about what that means. Obviously, there will be a little giant robot action in the next chapter... I think I've got the end of this story worked out. Now I just need to work out the best route to get there! Laters.**

**P.S. If that bit about Beast Boy's thoughts seems a little erratic, then I've done it right :)**

**-Jack**


	4. Chapter 4

**Heat In the Dark 4**

**Disclaimer: Jack owns nothing!**

**Odd last chapter: no fluff, no action... but Beast Boy got served a huge reality sandwich! No crusts.**

The three male Titans all rushed to the girls' location in the T-Car. While focused, Raven's tone had suggested there was little to fear from the 'giant robot', so the boys were not especially anxious. Soon, it was obvious which way they were going: the mechanical behemoth was clearly visible above the surrounding buildings. Cyborg selected a spot to park the T-Car and the three heroes ascended to the rooftops, Nightwing with a grapnel and Cyborg lifted by a green pterosaur. Soon, they were as near to the battle as the rooftops would allow and they could see their enemy in its entirety. It was roughly 80 feet tall, humanoid in appearance, though its head looked more like a bike helmet than anything. Its structure was otherwise unremarkable: no obvious weapons, bland grey colour, no identifying marks. They then witnessed Starfire hurl a large star-bolt at the machine, and the space around it discoloured somehow, then resolved into a definite outline: a shield. The star-bolt fizzled out against the blue energy, which soon faded from sight again. Cyborg was already tapping away at his control panel, analysing the robot's shield. Raven had spotted the boys and descended to meet them. Her face looked even more irritated than earlier.

"It seems Starfire and I can't get through that blasted force field. This vexes me..." she said. Even in this situation, Beast Boy had to stifle a laugh. Raven opened her mouth to say something more to the changeling but was interrupted by a surprised Cyborg.

"What? Sending that here to face us is just... dumb!" he remarked. On seeing the nonplussed faces of his team-mates, he elaborated. "The shield is a sonic shell construct and is _extremely_ vulnerable to sonic weaponry. Like this!" Cyborg's right hand shifted into the familiar sonic cannon and - almost carelessly - he fired a blast at the robot. The blue energy field reappeared, flickered and vanished with a bang. Nightwing pounded his fist into his other hand, already planning how to take the robot down.

"Okay team, first we need to-"

"X'HAAAAAAAAL!" Starfire, releasing her frustration as bright green energy, screamed toward the robot, accelerating and pointing her glowing green fists forward. She ducked her head at the moment of impact and tore right through the machine's chest, erupting from its back with another burst of emerald fire. The other Titans watched with open mouths (except Raven) as the alien girl turned in the air and began to approach them.

"Damn, Nightwing," Cyborg muttered. "You'd better treat her right."

"Or make sure you keep you will up to date..." added Beast Boy.

Nightwing only nodded mutely. They all knew that Starfire was strong but rarely did she demonstrate just how powerful she was. After another moment of astonishment, Beast Boy began hooting and clapping for the alien princess, Cyborg joining him soon after. Released from his stupor by their celebration, Nightwing stepped forward to meet Starfire as she alighted on the roof... but something was wrong. She was only a few feet from the roof when she fell the rest of the way, stumbling and falling to her knees, her shoulder meeting the roof shortly afterwards. The team ran forward, Nightwing grasping Starfire's shoulder and turning her onto her back. She was still breathing, still conscious in fact, but her eyes were puffy and she coughed into her hand, occasionally sneezing and shooting green sparks from her fingertips. Cyborg returned to his control panel...

"She's covered with particulate chromium!" he cried. On closer inspection, the others could see the glittering dust coating their comrade. They each moved to help any way they could: Raven used her powers to lift as much as she could but it was delicate work and slow going. Nightwing pulled a brush normally designed to apply fingerprint powder and began gently brushing the chromium from Starfire's face. Beast Boy, unsure how else he could assist, held Starfire's hands, making sure she didn't inadvertently transfer more of the substance to her eyes. Cyborg scanned her in more detail and directed Raven. After ten minutes work, Starfire was clear of the chromium and, while she had stopped sneezing, still felt weak and suffered a headache. Nightwing , now assured of Starfire's well-being, switched back to leader mode.

"I didn't see any chrome plating on the robot...Chromium is used in stainless steel but that wouldn't cause a reaction... Why would there be metallic chromium?" he thought, aloud. His eyes widened as the obvious answer screamed at him. "It's a-"

"Trap?" said a new voice, belonging to a shaded figure emerging from a fire escape ladder on a taller, neighbouring building. In the same moment, the figure aimed a curious contraption that resembled a large catapult and fired. The unusually large projectile hit Raven and knocked her down, her cloak falling over her. Beast Boy immediately ran to her, relieved to hear her complaining about grazing her knee. He helped her to a sitting position and stared, appalled at her left arm. Wrapped around it was a gauntlet, bearing magical symbols very similar to those used by Slade to imprison her months ago. That wasn't what upset Beast Boy, however. Affixed to the gauntlet was a nondescript grey package which, according to Beast Boy's nose and quickly confirmed by Cyborg's sensors, was plastic explosive. On the underside of the gauntlet was a time display that seemed to show 5 minutes, but wasn't counting. Horrified, Nightwing turned to face their attacker, lips curling in a savage scowl. It could only be...

"Slade!" Nightwing snarled, bracing himself to fight. The villain stepped into the light. The sight of him made all the Titans mildly nauseous. They fought many villains... Slade might be the only one they truly hated.

"Robin." the villain said, mockingly. "Before we get into it, I should set the rules." He waved a small device above his head. "This is the detonator... when I hit the trigger, the timer will start. When the timer runs out, it will explode, killing anyone near it... even the alien, given her current condition." Nightwing growled at him. "I should probably also tell you it has a proximity sensor: if any of you get more than 10 feet from Raven, the timer will start automatically... with only 30 seconds on the clock. Or, more specifically, any of you but 'Robin', here. He is free to follow me all he likes!" With that, the villain leapt from the fire escape to a drain pipe, sliding all the way down to the ground. Nightwing was already in pursuit, shouting back up at his teammates.

"Stay together! I'll be back." Very soon, the chase was out of view for the other Titans. Nightwing sprinted after the retreating Slade, through alleys, down into the sewer, back up to the street, up to the rooftops, back down again... Slade eventually turned to face his pursuer in an empty parking lot, surrounded by warehouses. Without speaking, he triggered the detonator. Nightwing attacked.

Back on the roof, the Titans fell deadly silent as the bomb beeped and began counting down. After starting numbly for a few moments, Raven broke the silence first.

"You all need to get away from here! Away from me!" Cyborg shook his head.

"That'll only set it off early. We need to give Nightwing as much time as possible. Raven relented. The gauntlet was suppressing her powers as well, just like the last time. She had confiscated that charm, which was very rare and prohibitively expensive. She had no idea how or where Slade had acquired another. She looked at Beast Boy... his eyes were wild and fearful, boring into her own. Now that she was paying attention, she could feel the terror rolling from him. Starfire's eyes had begun to water again, but not from her allergy. Cyborg's jaw was clenched and his hands shook. Raven herself wasn't sure what to think... she believed in Nightwing, perhaps even more than Starfire did. His rescue of her young self during Trigon's attack had cemented that belief. He would save them. He would save _her_. Unbidden, a recollection came to her of Nightwing speaking to her after Beast Boy's kidnapping.

'_I'll save him, Raven. I'll save him._' She had believed him that time as well... but he had failed. A chill ran up her spine as she glanced at her arm - 4 minutes, thirty seconds.

"It'll be alright. We'll be alright," Raven found herself saying, no longer sure if she believed it. The time passed uneasily, each Titan feeling their hearts sink further and further as the clock ticked. Raven's left hand was in Beast Boy's, her right in Starfire's. Cyborg continually examined the gauntlet but had yet to find a way to unlock it. The time just kept slipping away... 2 minutes remaining. Starfire began to whimper.

"R-Raven..." she sobbed. Raven only squeezed her hand. They were heroes. They all faced death in the name of justice. This was not how Raven had wanted to die... but she was determined her friends would live.

"Listen... you have to be ready. When... _if_ the clock reaches thirty seconds, it won't make a difference if you set off the proximity trigger. I want you to run." Starfire sobbed again, Cyborg made an unidentifiable sound in his throat. Beast Boy only stared, the occasional tear slipping from his eyes. He couldn't quite believe what was happening. Less than an hour ago, sitting at home, he had even started to imagine a life with Raven. A future. He hadn't even thought what he might do if, for one or both of them, that life was cut short. That was a mistake, he knew now... they faced danger every day, they should have at least thought about consequences.

'_Stupid...STUPID!'_ he thought. After that, his thoughts dissolved into a mess, images of Raven's smile mixed with what he saw right now and, cruelly, his imagination spat out an imagined funeral for the demoness. He kissed her hand then, closing his eyes and trying desperately to wish it all away. The four friends waited, now feeling that their hearts had reversed direction and headed for their throats.

45 seconds.

Starfire squeezed Raven's hand, sobbing louder now.

"Friend Raven... I love you very much and I shall never forget you." The alien girl, with a final, wailing cry, released Raven's hand. Cyborg took it and leaned in close.

40 seconds.

"I'm sorry, Rae-Rae... I'll miss you." Raven nodded her farewell to her adoptive brother. Then Cyborg picked up the still weakened Starfire, headed to the edge of the roof and leapt all the way to the ground, running for cover. Beast Boy stared after them helplessly. He looked at Raven again... she looked brave but he could smell the fear... the sadness.

"Garfield... you have to go," Raven whispered, voice cracking.

30 seconds.

Beast Boy began to tug at the gauntlet, trying to get his fingers under the straps around Raven's forearm. It was useless. Raven winced and yelped as he inadvertently wrenched her arm and nipped her flesh.

"Garfield." ...nothing. "Garfield!" He ignored her. "Garfield! You have to-" she stopped when she heard a low growl from the man which quickly grew into a roar.

"NnnnnnnnnNNNNNOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!" he screamed, inches from her face, his eyes furious. The anger left his eyes, immediately replaced with regret and sorrow. There was another moment of silence.

"Garfield," Raven whimpered. "Garfield, please..." He stared at her, only now realising he had his hands on her shoulders. He relaxed his grip... Raven sighed in relief... he was going. Beast Boy looked down at the clock.

10 seconds.

He looked back at Raven, who was panicking again. Why was he still here? His breathing quickened.

5 seconds.

Raven was trying to physically push Beast Boy away now but, without her powers, he was far too strong. He took her head in his hands, placed a brief but passionate kiss on her lips and then wrapped his arms around her. Unable to resist now, she held him just as firmly. They both squeezed their eyes shut and whispered their love to each other over and over...

4...

3...

2...

1...

**Whoa! Things got pretty intense there, right? Wait a minute... what's this? Jack doesn't do cliffhangers, does he?! Apparently, he does. Don't worry, though, the next part is on the way as well. Seriously, I'm writing it right now!**

**-Jack**


	5. Chapter 5

**Heat In the Dark 5**

**Disclaimer: Jack owns nothing.**

**You don't care what I have to say, let's see what happens next!**

**Fair warning, this chapter contains lots of naughty naughtiness with dangly bits.**

Cyborg ran down the street, finding cover for Starfire and himself. When he arrived, only then did he realise Beast Boy hadn't followed them. He peered around the corner and checked the timer on his own wrist: the bomb would only have 5 seconds remaining!

"B... BB...NO!" he cried as the timer hit zero...

Beast Boy cracked an eye open...he was still on the roof. Still in one piece, it seemed. Raven was huddled with him, shaking just as he was, but she cautiously began to look up as well. She held up the gauntlet so they could see the time...

00:01

In an abandoned parking lot, Nightwing stood, holding his ribs and spitting blood. He favoured his left leg, the right sporting a knife wound on the thigh. In his free hand, he held Slade's detonator which showed on its tiny display that he had stopped the count with only a second remaining. It was close and he was hurt... but he was filled with exultation. He had saved her. Like Raven, he had not forgotten about his promise to her to rescue Beast Boy. He had failed then and had been determined not to fail his friends again. And he hadn't. He looked down at his enemy, unconscious, bereft of his trademark mask and lying, face down, on the asphalt. The older man had bruises and cuts on his face and his left ankle seemed to be at an improbable angle. The rest of his injuries would become apparent when the man woke up. Nightwing realised with a start that this man, this enemy, held no fear for him... not any more. Now that he had beaten him, truly beaten him, he felt only grim satisfaction. After their last encounter, Nightwing had brainstormed with Batman and come up with a unique strategy for Slade, a strategy only a few people worldwide could use. During the fight, Nightwing disregarded his preferred fighting style and continually switched martial disciplines: fire off a karate kick, flip back into a capoeira sweep, fire his fists in a wing chun flurry... Even Slade couldn't keep up. Nightwing grunted as he pulled out his communicator, pushing a button that would call his entire team at once. After a few seconds, all four faces appeared on the little screen, looking bewildered and nervous.

"Slade," he said, wincing as his ribs protested. "Slade is down. Transmitting location now..." He closed the device and replaced it on his belt. He really wanted to sit down. But he still stood when Cyborg and Starfire appeared, followed a little later by Beast Boy and Raven. Starfire's strength was beginning to return and she ran to Nightwing's side to support him. Cyborg took the detonator and locked it safely away. A green hand took hold of Nightwing's shoulder, getting his attention. Beast Boy was staring at him in a way he had never seen before...

"Thank you," Beast Boy said quietly. "Thank you." Raven also leaned in and pecked Nightwing on the cheek, murmuring her own gratitude in his ear before returning to Beast Boy's embrace. Their leader was curiously unsettled by the attention but eventually smiled at them and replied simply:

"You're welcome."

A few hours later, the Titans found themselves aboard the JLA Watchtower, orbiting the Earth. Cyborg made the call. The T-Car could have got them all home but there was the larger problem of the magical gauntlet still stuck to Raven's arm, so they called for help. Nightwing lay in their infirmary accompanied by Starfire. Raven was sitting with Zatanna Zatara of the Justice League and Doctor Fate of the Justice Society as they attempted to remove the device. Beast Boy was there, naturally and so was Cyborg. After being forced to abandon her earlier, he was unwilling to let her out of his sight, though he and Beast Boy were currently required to keep their distance from the magic users. As they watched, the Enchantress arrived as well, bringing with her some magical artifacts. As the group pored over books and muttered forgotten spells, eventually, Doctor Fate happened upon the right spell: the gauntlet popped open and, to prove there were no ill effects, it was immediately caught and suspended by Raven's power. The device was disassembled, the explosive being safely detonated in a purpose-built chamber, and Raven confiscated this amulet as well. After Nightwing's treatment was finished (and he had finished 'debriefing' with Batman), the team returned to the teleporters and returned home.

The five Titans appeared in the common room, the lights flickering on automatically. Raven really, really wanted to go to her room... but she could sense the lingering anxiety in her friends. She looked at each of the Titans in turn - lingering slightly on Beast Boy - and smiled.

"Pizza?" she asked. Cyborg immediately and loudly agreed, reaching for the phone and simultaneously transmitting a 'return to base' command to the T-Car. Nightwing limped around the couch and gently lowered himself, sighing when he finally sat. Raven made herself a cup of tea while Beast Boy poured drinks for the others. Soon, they were sat around an impressive collection of pizza boxes eating, drinking and chatting. It was all small talk, no-one being particularly interested on talking about today...yet. Beast Boy moaned as Cyborg reminded them all of his vulnerability to Mad Mod's hypnosis. Starfire blushed and giggled while Nightwing chuckled when they recalled their first meeting where they had locked lips, all so Starfire could learn english. Raven rolled her eyes when they remembered the yellow dress and pigtails she wore under Mother May-Eye's influence. Cyborg blushed and scratched his head when they told stories of his robotic replacement constantly and inconveniently screaming 'Booyah!' while he was undercover in H.I.V.E. This carried on for the rest of the night. Raven noticed each of the team members sitting closer to her than usual, reaching out and touching her shoulder while telling stories or otherwise making contact. The subtle affection was overwhelming but extremely welcome, the warmth of it banishing the lump of ice that had settled in her stomach on that rooftop.

Later, after the supply of pizza had been exhausted, the Titans sat in a comfortable silence. It was getting late and Raven realised they were all waiting for her: none of them were willing to retire to bed before her. It was sweet. There was only one option.

"Well, I think I'm ready for bed. Goodnight everyone," Raven said. She paused when everyone, even Nightwing, stood with her. Cyborg approached her first, wearing his bracelet now, and pulled her into a gentle hug. She could feel his happiness, his relief and, most importantly, a burning spark of protective affection. Next came Nightwing, who hugged her far more cautiously, minding his injuries. He felt similar to Cyborg but Raven also sensed a shining pride in his actions today. She decided he was entitled to it and thanked him again. Starfire embraced her now, lifting her feet from the floor and spinning slowly. The joy she felt almost blinded Raven, it was so intense. After putting Raven back down, Starfire laughed while wiping tears from her eyes, then left the room with Nightwing, Cyborg leaving after them. Raven headed to her own room, shadowed by Beast Boy. Wordlessly, they entered her room and sat on the bed. He could tell she wanted to say something.

"Raven?" he asked. She sighed before speaking.

"We need to talk about what happened today." Raven could feel his reluctance. "I think we need to agree that if one of us is... hurt... then the other must... carry on. If I die..." Beast Boy's breathing became rapid and his eyes glistened. Raven continued: "If I die, Garfield... I want to know that you will try and live. Not just survive but _live_. I think we both need to make that promise." Sorrowfully, Beast Boy took Raven's hand in his, looking her in the eye and nodding, though the idea clearly made him miserable. She felt the same.

"I'll try, Rae," Beast Boy answered. "For you... I'll try." Raven leaned in and kissed him then, puling back to look in his eyes. Then they kissed again, more passionately. The kiss became more and more heated and the couple realised they were now lying on Raven's bed. Raven's cloak was thrown to the floor, shortly followed by their shoes and uniforms. They lay next to each other, wearing only their undergarments, staring into each other's eyes. This was it. They were as ready as they could be. With a spark of mischief in her eyes, Raven stood up and walked to the centre of the room, beckoning Beast Boy to join her. He followed, the heat in her eyes dissolving the misery of the day. When he stood facing her, standing in the middle of her room, his eyes roamed over her body, completely unashamed of his own, obvious, arousal.

"Turn around, Garfield. We should make this moment last... and I had this idea a few weeks ago." The admission startled him but he did as he as told.

"Now what, Rae?" he said. His voice was heavy with desire.

"Now make sure you don't turn around! We 'trade', Garfield."

"Trade?" He didn't get it. Then a plain black bra sailed over his head and landed in front of him.

"Yes... what will you give me for that, Garfield?" Raven said, her voice almost as laden as his. After staring at the garment for a few seconds, Beast Boy realised what he should do next. He shimmied out of his boxers, picked them up and tossed them behind him.

"All in, Rae." he said. He heard Raven's breathing hitch and could now smell Raven's own arousal, which only increased his excitement.

"Hmmm... I don't think this is a fair trade. I think I owe you some change," Raven murmured. Beast Boy's eyes widened as black panties joined the bra in front of him. He thought his heartbeat might deafen him.

"Oh... oh wow..." he managed. He then felt a presence near him and heard a whisper in his right ear.

"Turn around, Garfield." He swallowed and, once again, did as he was told.

Words failed him. Raven stood before him, smiling, blushing, staring back at him with hungry eyes and completely, utterly naked. He had seen her in her underwear. He had touched her when she had been naked before. Somehow, those experiences were totally inadequate. The unnatural perfection of her skin, the curve of her naked breasts, the contour of her waist and hips, the slenderness of her perfect legs and between them... a neatly trimmed, purple mound. He was lost in her beauty. Raven's eyes examined him similarly, admiring his wiry musculature, strong arms and broad chest. Then her eyes drifted south... and she saw him. All of him. Eventually she remembered to look at his face, discovering exactly where he was staring. She swallowed any doubts she might have had and stepped forward. Her movement caused him to look into her eyes, unable to look away. She kissed him then, one hand on his cheek and the other moving down to grip his penis. She slowly, _languorously_ stroked him as she stuck her tongue in his mouth. He growled in pleasure, hands around her now and squeezing her backside.

"Rae...I...I'm almost there," Beast Boy gasped. Raven decided it was time to try something else she saw online. Never breaking eye contact, she slowly lowered herself to her knees and, still gently stroking with her hand, accepted him into her mouth. Beast Boy couldn't believe it was happening! He watched her head slowly bob up and down, her eyes still boring into his. A short time later, he felt his climax coming, almost seeming to start at his toes and move upward. He kept his eyes on Raven while she worked, even as his toes twitched and his knees trembled. He bit his lip and grunted as he came in Raven's mouth but his eyes never left her face. Raven, seeing his face twist had been prepared for the sensation if not the taste. She quickly used the same mental focus she used when forced to taste Tamaranian cuisine. That left her with another puzzle: what to do with it? She unceremoniously stood and walked into her bathroom, spitting into her basin. When she returned, she saw Beast Boy sat at the edge of her bed looking spent but, she was pleased to see, when he saw her he quickly began to 'recover'. She kissed him again, momentarily forgetting where her mouth had just been. She needn't have worried: his animal side made him very practical about physical processes, seeing no reason to feel disgust, even as he could faintly taste himself in Raven's mouth. After the kiss, Beast Boy put his arms around Raven and lifted her onto the bed, quickly moving between her legs.

"Your turn, Raven." With that, Beast Boy lowered his head to Raven's sex, licking and sucking experimentally. Raven herself shuddered with delight, guiding him with her hands and the occasional word of advice. Eventually, Beast Boy found the sweet spot, Raven's hand fisting in his hair as her legs crossed over his shoulders. He kept at it while her hips bucked against him and she whimpered his name, only stopping when she whimpered wordlessly and fell limply to the bed. When Raven's wits came back to her, they kissed again, Raven tasting _her_self this time. That tiny wisp of demonic nature crowed in pleasure at the act. After the kiss, they stared into each other's eyes once more, Beast Boy silently asking her if he should carry one. Raven smiled, then stretched a hand toward a previously unnoticed shopping bag. Her powers brought it to her and she reached inside, pulling out a small, shiny packet.

"Here, Garfield," she said, offering the condom as an answer. Beast Boy was desperate to know what else was in the bag but knew he'd find out eventually. He quickly, if nervously, ripped open the packet and rolled the condom down over himself. Raven still lay on her back, watching every move. He kissed her again, then finally looked away to position himself. It was awkward for a while as they oriented themselves clumsily, Beast Boy occasionally trapping Raven's hair under his hands, Raven accidentally tickling his ribs as they moved. Then they were there. One more movement and that would be it. They kissed again as Beast Boy gently pushed his hips forward while Raven used one hand to guide him. Then he was inside her, nudging against her hymen. At her insistence, he pushed a little harder, tearing the barrier and burying himself inside Raven. He regretfully noted the pain in her eyes while simultaneously revelling in his own pleasure. He paused as he felt an unusual jolt... it hadn't been unpleasant just... unusual.

"Did you feel... what was that?" he asked. Raven answered tightly, still adjusting to the new sensation but seemingly not in pain any more.

"I think... I think I just healed myself," Raven replied, glancing meaningfully down between them. Beast Boy chuckled and kissed her again. After a minute, Raven told him he could move. He began slowly, trying his best to keep a steady rhythm, speeding up or slowing down according to Raven's wishes. Their movements gradually became more energetic, Raven lifting her hips from the bed to meet Beast Boy's thrusts. She didn't know if it was another effect of her empathy but she was sure she could sense their pleasure building together... perhaps she had unwittingly linked her feelings to his. Perhaps she... oh Azar, that felt good. Raven told him to go faster and he did, she encouraged him to keep accelerating. She could feel them both reaching the edge...they were both so _close_.

"Rae," Beast Boy gasped. "I'm-"

"Me too, Garfield," Raven panted. "Keep going." Within seconds, both of them were riding their second climax of the night, this one far more intense. They didn't scream. They just squeezed their eyes closed and held each other tightly, Beast Boy's hips bucking erratically and both of them suffering shaking legs and curling toes. When they were completely finished, Beast Boy collapsed onto his lover, though Raven didn't seem to mind his weight pressing down on her. The green man eventually summoned the strength to move and turned himself over, slipping out of Raven. He realised he had to deal with the condom and tiredly rose to head to the bathroom to clean up. When he emerged, Raven had mystically (he assumed) changed the sheets and lay on her side, grinning at him. He smiled too and joined her, pulling her naked form close to his chest. They kissed again, more gently this time, the smiles never leaving their faces.

"I think I'm in love with you, Miss Raven," Beast Boy joked, rubbing her nose with his own.

"You are, Mr Logan, I can tell. I'm an empath, you know," Raven teased back. They both giggled at that, feeling their eyes begin to close...

"Wait!" said Beast Boy, urgently. "That bag... when did you get that?" he asked, referring to the bag from which Raven had produced a condom. The demoness blushed a little.

"That's what I went shopping for today. I sent it home before the fight started." Beast Boy grinned at her answer, deciding not to ask what else was in there. For now. They pulled each other close again and let sleep overtake them, each dreaming of the other and bright futures.

**Well... that escalated quickly. This isn't the end but it is the end of the drama, so just sit back and enjoy. I may squeeze another few chapters if I think I have enough, I may just write one more. We can only wait and see. Thanks for reading, peeps!**

**-Jack**


	6. Chapter 6

**Heat In the Dark 6**

**Disclaimer: all these dudes belong to some other dude.**

**Okay then! Let's be honest here, this chapter is probably gonna get pretty smutty. But! I'll be throwing in some more emotional consequences of Raven's near miss. Read on, visitor!**

Raven woke first, naturally. Beast Boy's sleeping form lay right next to her. Before last night, they had slept together (literally) and had grown used to sharing a bed but, all the same, seeing him so close on this particular morning brought a sleepy smile to her face. Half-awake as she was, she was slightly more prone to suggestion from her emotions. Happy, Love and Lust were whispering in her ear so, with a cheeky smirk, Raven lifted her sheets... Yup. They were definitely naked. She stifled a very un-Raven giggle and let the sheets settle again. Lust objected: Beast Boy was, once again, showing that uniquely male symptom that occurs during sleep. Eyes dancing with mischief, Raven slipped a hand under the sheets and gently gripped him. She watched his face twitch a little as she began to caress and stroke him. Dimly, she could sense the pleasure it gave him, even asleep. Unbidden, a recollection came to her from her research, detailing a reportedly very pleasant way to wake up one's boyfriend. 'Unbidden'... right. Lust was concentrating so hard on the memory she almost fainted. Still drowsy, Raven now disappeared completely under the covers. Beast Boy began to wake...

"Unnnn... where... Rae? R- ... oooooh..." It hadn't taken long for Beast Boy to notice Raven's ministrations, the warm wetness of her mouth driving out all other thought. He didn't last long, his own hand moving to stroke Raven's hair as he spent himself in her mouth. After he could see straight again, he watched as Raven emerged from the bedding, rosy-cheeked but still smiling.

"Good morning, Beast Man," she drawled. Beast Boy chuckled at first... then his eyes widened. She had just spoken... opened her mouth...

"Uhhhh Raven? Where... umm... what did you do with it? Y'know..._it!_" Beast Boy said, uncertainly.

"I swallowed it, of course," she said, matter-of-factly. Beast Boy's wide eyes and Raven's deadpan eyes blinked at each other for a few moment... then Raven's eyebrows shot into her hairline and her cheeks burned. She hid her face in her hands.

"Rae?" Beast Boy inquired, delicately.

"It was Lust, Garfield," Raven answered. "She must have... suggested this morning's 'recreation'... I'm sorry." He laughed out loud at that.

"Sorry?! Rae, don't ever apologise for that! Let's say I owe you one, okay?" he said, still slightly incredulous. Raven nodded in exasperation. Hadn't she told herself to watch out for Lust? Well... no harm done. Indeed, Raven could almost see the sparkle in Beast Boy's eye as he gazed at her.

"If you owe me one, Garfield... why not repay it now?" Raven asked, quietly, seeing the excitement in Beast Boy's eyes.

"Yeah?" he said, intelligently. Raven nodded again.

"Yeah... I think I'd like Ceylon tea this morning. In a teapot, if you don't mind." With that, Raven rolled over and curled up in her blankets. Beast Boy appeared crestfallen... but after the events of yesterday, good and bad, Raven's merciless teasing was familiar and oddly reassuring. He quickly dressed in some sleepwear he had left in Raven's room and walked out the door to the kitchen. He sought out the correct tea and placed the bag in the teapot. Then, using a conventional kettle, he poured boiling water over the bag, replaced the lid and left it to brew for a minute. As his attention wandered, he saw Nightwing standing at the window, staring outside. He moved to join him.

"Hey... Dick." he said. Nightwing smiled, his blue eyes twinkling.

"Gar." he replied. The names felt good. Today felt like a day for real names. Beast Boy idly scanned the shore.

"What are you doing, anyway?" he asked.

"Starfire... Kory... got her flight back this morning," Nightwing answered, pointing up at the few clouds in the sky. Following his gaze, Beast Boy could now see a glowing, green streak flying through and around the clouds. Beast Boy smiled: he understood the simple pleasure of flying, though he doubted he could match Starfire's exhilaration. Not only were her emotions generally more intense but she could fly many times faster than him and, in his mind, more speed equaled more fun. As he mused, the green flame began to descend rapidly, angling toward the tower. She purposefully flew past the window they boys stood at, close enough to touch the glass herself. Nightwing shook his head in mild disbelief as the panes rattled slightly.

"Dude..." Beast Boy started. "That girl is something else!" Nightwing nodded, grinning widely.

"She'll be landing on the roof. I'm gonna go meet her. See you later, Gar." Nightwing waved as he limped toward the roof access. Beast Boy caught up and grabbed his arm.

"Dick... I know we already said it but... Thanks. Thank you." Nightwing smiled, extracted his arm and clapped Beast Boy on the back. He seemed to struggle for words for a moment... then gave up, slapped Beast Boy's back again and resumed his journey to the roof.

Beast Boy returned to the kitchen, putting the kettle and a cup and saucer on a small tray and then returned to Raven's room. He knocked gently...

*TAP TAP TAP*

**(A/N: This will be the same period of time told from Raven's point of view.)**

Raven watched Beast Boy exit her room, waiting for the door to close... he was gone. Raven immediately leapt from the bed and into her bathroom, grabbing her toothbrush and liberally applying her toothpaste. She brushed frantically... the taste was bad enough but her urgency was more from tension: Lust had practically driven her like the T-Car! After she has finished brushing her teeth, she stepped into the shower to quickly wash off any sweat or... other stuff from last night. As she showered, she communicated with her promiscuous emotion.

"Lust! A little restraint in future?" Raven thought. Lust answered straight away, very little guilt in her tone.

"Rae-Rae... that _was_ me showing restraint." Raven didn't reply but Lust could feel her frustration and resentment. "Listen, Rae, you've spent the last couple of months slowly allowing your emotions more freedom, all so you could be with Beast Boy and, by necessity, I was last on that list! Can you blame me for feeling a little impatient?" Raven pondered Lust's words... Lust was simply a part of Raven, thus her impatience had been Raven's as well. With that epiphany and the fact that, so far, Lust's influence had been mostly positive, Raven felt her irritation slip away.

"Fair enough... but try to balance with the others a little more. Especially when my defenses are weak... like after I've just woken up." Raven said, pointedly. Lust's sheepish laughter echoed in Raven's mind as she finished her short shower and grabbed a towel.

*TAP TAP TAP*

Beast Boy had returned. She shouted loud enough to be heard from her bathroom:

"COME IN, GARFIELD." Dutifully he entered, placed the tea tray on Raven's desk and then, realising where she must be, sat on the edge of the bed to wait. An idea occurred to Raven... this one was definitely Lust's work. She looked in the mirror as if to reprimand herself... but found herself smiling instead. She blew out her breath and finished drying herself. "Okay..."

Beast Boy sat, whistling, on Raven's bed. As his mind wandered, the enormity of last night started to sink in: Sex. Sex had been had. And he been there. Raven too. Beast Boy and Raven had been there and sex had been had. For real, full-on sex. He tried to calm himself a little. This had been a big step and, if they were honest with each other, they both knew that yesterday's drama had been a catalyst. Even if Raven had purchased all the paraphernalia, there was no guarantee sex would be regular from now on. The fact remained, however...

"I totally had sex with Raven." Beast Boy muttered aloud, a smug grin spreading across his features. His confidence didn't last long... the bathroom door opened and he turned to greet Raven. Then his jaw dropped and he forgot how to speak.

"Hello, Garfield," Raven said, still towelling her hair. She leaned over to inspect the tea tray: everything seemed in order. She continued to dry her hair, deliberately ignoring Beast Boy's astonished stare. She supposed it was reasonable. After all, aside from the towel in her hands, currently above her head, she was stark naked. She finished towelling her hair and brought the square of fabric town and covered herself... Beast Boy looked like he might object. So she tossed the towel aside and bent down to reach the desk... perhaps a little more than necessary. From this angle, Beast Boy could see _everything_. After giving him an eyeful, Raven sat on the desk chair, crossed her legs and poured a cup of tea. She held the saucer and sipped from the cup, now facing Beast Boy and staring into his eyes. To his credit, he seemed to understand there was something... more going on here. Before she even heard Beast Boy's question, she had decided to be honest and up-front. If her fear could fill the tower with spectres when she was dishonest, she dreaded to think what images Lust would fill it with.

"Rae... um... Rae?" Beast Boy stammered. Raven's cheeks glowed a little as she sipped her tea.

"Recently, I did some 'research' to help us... In the course of that, I happened upon exhibitionism and voyeurism and, while I'm not especially keen on public displays, I realised that I have learned to like it when you... when you watch me. So I may have fantasized about you watching me while I do normal things, like drink tea... but naked. I guess I wanted to try it out while we were on a roll," she finished with a shy whisper. She hadn't meant to be quite so.. direct with her explanation and suspected Lust had something to do with it. Astonishingly, Wisdom and Knowledge claimed responsibility, citing Raven's same concerns about denial, though they admitted they may have taken it too far. As her attention returned to the outside world, she say Beast Boy's face: it hadn't changed since she had appeared, eyes wide, mouth open and cheeks pink. Raven sipped her tea again, looking past him at the curtained window. She noted the feel of the chair on her bare skin... could almost feel Beast Boy's eyes trace her every curve. She made an effort to adopt the same posture she would in normal conditions, to do otherwise would somehow ruin it. She spotted a tiny amount of tea that had spilled onto the saucer and, before she had really thought about it, tipped it slightly toward her. She shuddered as the now lukewarm liquid splashed on her chest then trailed down her stomach and to her sex.

"Oh dear," Raven whispered. Setting down her cup, she stood and used her powers to retrieve the towel from the floor. Once again staring into Beast Boy's eyes, she slowly wiped the tea from her body and, much to his relief, discarded the towel yet again. She turned and inspected her chair: there seemed to be a tiny wet patch. Part of her was mortified but Lust and Love reassured her that Beast Boy would _love_ it...and Knowledge reminded her he could probably smell it. She looked at the green man who was yet to snap out of his stupor... "I thought I got it all... but it looks like I might have spilled tea on my chair as well. What do you think, Garfield?" she asked, her voice thick. Beast Boy stood and slowly ambled to the chair. If he hadn't already realised, now he knew... that _wasn't_ tea. This evidence that Raven was as excited as he was... it blew his mind. He turned his body to face her, their faces inches apart. He could taste the mint in her breath... she could feel the heat of his own against her skin. Eyes heavy-lidded, they both leaned in to kiss...

*BEEP BEEP BEEP*

The alarm rang, accompanied by the familiar red light. The couple blinked at each other for a moment, then Beast Boy's face twisted in frustration and despair.

"Ffffff...Fuck. FuckfuckfuckfuckFUCKFUCKFUCKFUCKFUUUUCK!" Raven almost thought she saw a tear in his eye as Beast Boy cursed his luck. With a grumble, he turned and ran to his room to change. Raven, with an identical grumble, conjured her costume in an instant and headed to the common room...

It had been a fairly standard alarm, a hostage situation. With Raven's teleportation the hostage had been secured, leaving the others to easily subdue the perpetrator. Robin had insisted the team go together in the T-Car to strategize, so Beast Boy and Raven had sat in the back seat, with Starfire sat next to them. Their hands were together the hold trip, the tightness of their grip indicating their rising tension. As soon as the situation was in hand, Raven made an excuse about needing meditation, teleporting herself and Beast Boy home. The black raven appeared in Raven's bedroom but, instead of merely disappearing, it flared for a moment, spitting both of their uniforms to the floor and leaving them both nude. No time was wasted... their lips crashed together and their hands fisted in each other's hair. They ignored the bed and fell to the floor where they stood, Beast Boy blindly grabbing the bag containing the condoms. He broke contact with Raven to rifle through it. What he found amazed him: a bottle of lubricant, what appeared to be a pair of leather restraints, a blindfold and... he held the last object up his face.

"Rae... is this what I think it is?" Raven flushed a little... it was a tiny buttplug with what appeared to be synthetic tail-feathers attached. This was a little overwhelming... this was only their second time!

"I... got a little carried away," Raven whispered. "I thought, one day, we might want to try some things..." Beast Boy shook his head. Raven planned ahead for _everything_, it seemed. He made a deliberate show of throwing the more exotic items away, thought he kept the lubricant.

"Rae, right now I don't want toys, I don't wanna play games... I just want you." Raven silently eyed the bottle in his hand. "I read somewhere that 'lube makes everything better' once, so I figured, since you already bought it..." he trailed off as Raven smiled at him. He currently rested on his knees, with Raven on her back in front of him, her legs hooked around his own. He paused for a minute to absorb the image... but his patience didn't last. He once again donned the rubber sheath, then cautiously squirted a glob of the lube into his hand. Following the directions on the bottle (and amazed he could see straight enough to read them), Beast Boy warmed the substance between his fingers before applying... then he looked to Raven for permission. She nodded impatiently and he moved his fingers to her sex, gently spreading the lubricant. She moaned a little, feeling sensitive after their fun had been interrupted earlier. Beast Boy was mesmerised by the way she squirmed under his touch... but Raven didn't give him a chance to continue. Her feet moved up to his backside and pulled him toward her. He took the hint and slowly pushed himself inside her. There was no pain for Raven this time but neither of them were used to the sensation yet, needing a moment to adapt. Soon enough, Raven started moving her hips a little, spurring Beast Boy to begin thrusting. They kissed all the while, never seeming to feel quite close enough. Once again, Raven felt their pleasure intertwine, letting them finish together... there was something else though. Mixed with the love and lust was a sliver of grief. Raven looked up at Beast Boy and saw tears in his eyes. She kissed his cheek, tasting the salt, and whispered reassurance in his ear.

"Don't hold back, Garfield. Say what's on your mind," Raven encouraged. He broke a little further, a few silent sobs causing him to tremble.

"I'm sorry Rae, it's just... yesterday. We... You almost... I almost lost you and... and..." he trailed off there but it had been enough. He looked to Raven as her hand stroked his hair.

"I know, Garfield," she murmured, voice cracking. "I _know._" She put on arm around his neck and used the other to push herself up. After some awkward manoeuvering, Beast Boy was sat on the floor, his back resting against Raven's bed, and she was in his lap, facing him with her knees on either side of his hips. Amazingly, they were still connected and, as they kissed again, Raven could feel him become ready again. This time their lovemaking was more gentle, less passionate... but somehow it felt far more intense. Their kisses were relatively chaste and Raven bounced up and down in Beast Boy's lap at a slow pace. As Raven felt their oncoming climax, she moved slightly faster and looked into his eyes. When it arrived, Raven shuddered and her knees gave out, burying Beast Boy inside her as far as possible. His hips bucked and his toes curled... but they didn't break eye contact. After a time, they recovered enough to stand, moving to the bathroom to wash up. After Beast Boy disposed of the condom, they stepped into the shower together and washed each other, though every time their eyes met it resulted in long moments of inactivity while they stared. They both knew, though neither said it, that last night had been their way of distracting themselves from the trauma of the day and tonight... those feelings had spilled out. Even so, neither of them could bring themselves to regret it. After they had showered, they dressed again. Raven moved to the bed, drawing Beast Boy with her, but he released her hand and made for the door.

"I'll be right back, Rae... I just gotta get something." Raven nodded as he scooted down the corridor. Raven sat on her bed, blushing: the room was still imprinted with the emotions they had projected today... they were wonderful. She realised with a grimace that she would have to clean her carpet at some point.

"Feh... I'll worry about it some other time." she said to herself, simultaneously pleased and horrified that she had spoken something so... Beast Boy-ish! That same moment, the man himself returned, fumbling with something in his hands. As he sat beside her, Raven tried to get a look but was unable to tell what the package might be. It was a small, plain, cardboard box, a little battered and worn.

"Rae... I've been thinking over the past few days. I know we haven't really had a lot of time to do that but... yeah, I've been thinking. Thinking about what I want." Raven was inexplicably nervous... they had very clearly demonstrated their love for each other. Raven could even feel it! So why was he talking like this? Why wasn't her looking her in the eye?

"...Garfield?" Raven said, tentatively reaching for his hand. He allowed it, grasping the box in his right hand while Raven clutched the left. He finally looked at her... his smile was absent but his eyes shone with that sincerity that had caused her to fall for him in the first place. He opened his mouth to speak but no words came out... then, deciding to show rather than tell, he opened the box. Raven gasped.

"This... was my mother's," Beast Boy explained. It was a ring of almost plain gold, adorned with a single diamond, small but beautiful. It was undoubtedly a wedding ring.

"It's beautiful, Garfield... but what-" Raven began, nervously, her voice trembling. Her own anxiety fed off Beast Boy's, which seemed to fill the room.

"I'm not proposing, Rae. Not really." He took a deep breath. "But I still want you to have it."

"Garfield! I... I couldn't!" Raven protested. She couldn't take something so precious from him.

"Let me explain why, first, okay?" Beast Boy replied, a ghost of theat smile that Raven loved so much appearing. "I know we haven't been together that long... but we've known each other for years. What I feel for you is something I've never felt before. I don't think I ever will again. In fact, I don't want to. I'm not proposing right now, not even a long engagement or whatever... but I want you to hold on to that ring as a promise. A promise that you will be the only woman I will ever give that ring to. So one day, when you're ready, just bring it to me and I'll put it on your finger for real." Raven was speechless... for a time.

"G-Garfield..." she whispered. He kept going, his gaze turning away as he stared into space.

"I don't remember a lot about my parents, Rae... but I remember this: I asked my Dad once why he married my Mom. All he said was that he knew when he looked at her. He just knew." Beast Boy's eyes found hers again, that sincere smile there in all its glory. "I _know_, Rae. When I look at you, I _know._" Beast Boy started to blur as Raven's eyes filled with tears. She had thought he had run out of surprises... then he does this! His hand left hers and moved to her shoulders, drawing her into an embrace. She wrapped both arms around him and held him tightly. For a long moment they stayed that way... then Beast Boy felt Raven move. One of her hands reached out to his right and gently grasped the box. He released it with no resistance. Raven released her grip on Beast Boy, now sitting straight and cradling the box with both hands, gazing at it in wonder. Eventually, she looked back up at Beast Boy's beaming face, biting her lip and wearing her own smile. Still unable to find the right words, she only nodded at him and watched his grin grow even larger. She carefully placed the box on her nightstand, then lay down on the bed with Beast Boy. They kissed lightly and, due to the physically and emotionally draining day they'd had so far, felt sleep creeping up on them. They weren't getting married. They weren't even engaged. But they had the promise.

And, more importantly, they had each other.

**THE END**

**Well, that's it for this little episode. I was right, it did get smutty lol! Things also got very deep for the pair. I wanted to show that, even though it wasn't necessarily bad considering how close they were anyway, even these guys can suffer a very human reaction to trauma. In this case, even though they discussed it (briefly!), they didn't completely deal with their emotional aftermath, instead rushing into sex to distract themselves. Feelings like that always come back, though, even after being all kinky and stuff, those bottled emotions popped out in the end. They seem to be healing pretty well now, though lol. Is anyone surprised I ended up finishing a lemon-y story with gooey BBRae fluff? Cos I ain't :) **

**P.S. The **_**coitus interruptus**_** was a stupid idea I had for funnies but then I thought the inevitable frustration might make them less guarded, leading up to the tearful little breakdown. I hope it worked!**

**-Jack**


	7. Not new chapter! Little info thingy

Turns out Heat In the Dark has been added to a community... called 'Reportable offense'! Uh-oh... Jack might be in trouble. Eventually. Even so, I'm uploading the story to adultfanfiction dot net as well, so it can be found even it gets deleted from this site. I'll add some info about it to my profile as well. The community is over 250 pages of stories so I'm not especially worried but... just in case I upset someone, we have this to fall back on :)

-Jack


End file.
